VAN DEER SKI COMPANY SPARKS WORLD CUP SPECULATION WITH MYSTERY AIRPORT POST

With 138 days still remaining before American tech specialist Paula Moltzan makes history as the first woman to compete in a World Cup race on Marcel Hirscher’s Van Deer skis in Sölden, the Salzburg-based ski company is already generating massive hype for the upcoming winter season.

A cryptic social media post has sent the ski racing community into a frenzy of speculation regarding who will be the next elite female athlete to join Hirscher's rapidly growing racing stable.

The Instagram Post That Triggered the Buzz

The speculation ignited following a black-and-white photograph posted to Van Deer’s official Instagram page. The caption, reading "Off to the next adventure. Always stylish," accompanied an image of a young blonde woman walking past a World War II fighter plane at Salzburg Airport. The athlete in the photo, sporting a white baseball cap, black clothing, and carrying a travel bag, had her back to the camera, prompting fans and industry insiders to guess her identity.

The central question capturing the ski world's attention: Has Marcel Hirscher secured another high-profile female signing for the Van Deer-Red Bull racing team?

Fans Bet on "Kiwi" Phenom Alice Robinson

According to a flurry of user comments and fan theories, the frontrunner is widely believed to be New Zealand's giant slalom and Super-G powerhouse, Alice Robinson.

The 24-year-old Kiwi star boasts an impressive resume with 24 World Cup podium finishes—consisting of 7 victories, 10 second-place finishes, and 7 third-place finishes. Robinson, who also captured a silver medal in the giant slalom at the 2025 World Championships in Saalbach, announced at the end of April that she was parting ways with her equipment supplier of four years, Salomon.

Crucially, Robinson is heavily backed by energy drink giant Red Bull—the exact same primary sponsor and co-branding partner linked to Hirscher's Van Deer project, making a transition seamless on a corporate level.

Lara Colturi: The Rising Technical Specialist

However, Robinson isn't the only world-class talent in the rumor mill. Insiders point out that the profile could easily belong to 19-year-old prodigy Lara Colturi, the Italian-born technical specialist who competes internationally for Albania.

Colturi, the daughter of 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Super-G champion Daniela Ceccarelli, already has seven World Cup podiums to her name (4 second places and 3 third places). While Colturi has traditionally relied on Blizzard's "Firebird" setup and has not officially announced a departure, sources indicate that she spent the spring testing products from various rival ski manufacturers.

The Salzburg Connection and a Potential Plot Twist

A jump to Van Deer would hold clear strategic advantages for both Robinson and Colturi. Because both athletes represent smaller national ski federations (New Zealand and Albania), they could immensely benefit from the hyper-focused, premium factory support that a boutique brand like Van Deer provides. Furthermore, both skiers are currently based in Salzburg, completing their intensive summer physical conditioning blocks.

Despite the logic pointing toward Van Deer, a significant hurdle complicates the narrative. Until this weekend, several well-informed industry insiders were operating under the firm assumption that both Colturi and Robinson had already closed deals to switch to the Vorarlberg-based ski giant, Head. When reached for verification, Head management declined to comment on the potential signings.

"Anything Can Happen..."

Is the mystery woman at Salzburg Airport Robinson, Colturi, or an entirely unexpected new signing? Could Hirscher actually be orchestrating a blockbuster double-signing to lock down both athletes for the 2026/2027 winter campaign?

In the wild landscape of off-season equipment reshuffling, nothing is off the table. As one prominent